Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge facts for kids
Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge (born December 14, 1599 – died June 12, 1668) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making body in England, at different times between 1621 and 1668. He was a strong supporter of the Royalist side during the English Civil War, meaning he supported King Charles I. He later inherited a special noble title, Viscount Fitzhardinge, after his son passed away before him.
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Early Life and Family
Charles Berkeley was the son of Sir Maurice Berkeley, who came from Bruton, a town in Somerset, England. His family was part of the Bruton branch of the Berkeley family. His mother was Elizabeth Killigrew, whose father was Sir William Killigrew (Chamberlain of the Exchequer).
Charles went to Eton College, a famous school, in 1613. Later, when he was 15, he started studying at Queen's College, Oxford on November 3, 1615.
Political Career
In 1621, Charles Berkeley was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Somerset. Being an MP meant he represented the people of his area in the House of Commons. He was given the title of Knight in 1623, which was a special honor from the King.
He continued his political career, being elected as an MP for Bodmin in 1624. He then represented Heytesbury in 1625, 1626, and 1628. He served in Parliament until 1629. At that time, King Charles I decided to rule without Parliament for eleven years, which was a very unusual period in English history.
The Short Parliament
In April 1640, Parliament was called back, and Charles Berkeley was elected as an MP for Bath in what was known as the Short Parliament. During this time, he helped organize local groups to resist a tax called "ship-money," which the King was trying to collect without Parliament's approval.
English Civil War
When the English Civil War began, Charles Berkeley was a Royalist. This meant he supported the King against Parliament. He even helped the King by carrying out a special order called a Commission of Array in 1642, which was a way for the King to raise an army.
After the Restoration
After the war, when the monarchy was brought back to England in 1660 (an event called the Restoration), Charles Berkeley was again elected as an MP. In 1661, he was chosen to represent both Heytesbury and Bath in the Cavalier Parliament. Even though there were some issues with the election results for both seats, he was re-elected for Heytesbury and continued to serve there until he passed away.
Viscount Fitzhardinge
Before his death, Charles Berkeley inherited the noble title of Viscount Fitzhardinge. This happened because his second son, Charles, who was also a nobleman, was killed in a naval battle. His son died on June 3, 1665, during the Battle of Lowestoft, which was a fight at sea against the Dutch navy.
Charles Berkeley himself passed away on June 12, 1668, at the age of 68. He died from a sudden illness and was buried in the Church of St Mary, Bruton in Bruton, England.
Family Life
Charles Berkeley was married to Penelope Godolphin. Her father was Sir William Godolphin from Godolphin, Cornwall. Charles and Penelope had four sons.
His eldest surviving son, Maurice, inherited the title of Viscount after his father's death. Another one of his sons, William, became an admiral in the Royal Navy. Sadly, William was also killed fighting the Dutch in another naval battle called the Four Days' Battle in 1666.
Charles Berkeley also had two notable brothers:
